CP-Red Sun: Oaxaca: Report on the Day of Struggle for Justice, Land and Freedom

Due to the interest of our readers, we publish an unofficial translation of the complete report of Current of the People – Red Sun regarding the action day against the CIIT. You can read our report on the actions here.

Oaxaca: Report on the Day of Struggle for Justice, Land and Freedom

March 22, 2023

To the working class and workers

To the oppressed native peoples

To the poor peasantry and the broad masses of the people

To the youth and women of the people

On March 20, the Front of Oaxacan Organizations (FORO) initiated the Day of Struggle for Justice, Land and Freedom whose central objectives have been: First. – Strengthen the process of general unity of the movement based on the principle of Unity in Action, second. – place in the center the demands for justice and the rights of the people before the state governments and federal (both of [the party of Lopez Obrador] Morena), third. – reject the militarization of Isthmus and the imposition of mega-projects of plundering and death such as the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) and fourth. – follow growing the strength of the FORO as a space for expression for the anti-capitalist, anti-electoral and anti-patriarchal struggle, according to the Political Declaration of January 13, 2023.”

This mobilization has been especially important because it is taking place in the framework of the greater reactionary nature of the self-proclaimed “fourth transformation” which on the one hand launches “anti-neoliberal” appeals while on the other, and in spite of the growing threats of a new military intervention of Yankee imperialism in Mexico, meekly accepts its subordination before it. An example of this is the visit of US parliamentarians and personalities such as John Kerry and Ken Salazar, special delegate for climate change and US ambassador to Mexico, respectively, who have come to supervise the progress of the CIIT.

What are these advances?

On the part of the paramilitary groups at the service of the old State: plundering, cattle rustling, threats, attacks with firearms and homicides against community members and entire communities. On the part of the official and chayotera press: harassment, media lynching and stigmatization against organizations, natural leaders and democratic authorities. On the part of the regime’s legal apparatus: criminalization, persecution, political imprisonment, militarization and political discrediting of opponents.

The cases of aggression have been escalating and becoming more and more constant. The military siege by the Mexican Navy against ejidatarios [peasants, who hold a share of communal lands in Mexico] and community members of the northern zone of the Isthmus and against UCIZONI; the criminalization and arrest warrants against 17 Zapotec community members of Puente Madera, San Blas Atempa and against APIIDTT; the aggressions, threats and attacks against Zapotec community members of Santa Cruz Tagolaba and Rincón Tagolaba, as well as against CP-Red Sun speak of how the old State, with the use of its legal and illegal apparatus, tries to silence the voices of the resistance that, nevertheless, grows and strengthens itself by building scenarios of unity such as the FORO and other processes that at the national level will continue to emerge and reinforce the resistance of the people until they rise up in rebellion.

The Morena governments say that this visit “strengthens Mexico’s relationship with the US”; the people in the streets say that with this visit the gringos came to pull AMLO’s ear.

The mobilization.

Early on the morning of March 20, the contingents began to arrive at the Viguera crossroads where the statue of [Benito] Juarez is erected, just in anticipation of the eve of the birthday that the freemasons and liberals (including AMLO) commemorate on March 21.

Around 9:00hrs the contingents had already blocked the main entrance to the city of Oaxaca; thousands of flags of the organizations that make up the FORO began to occupy the international highway; approximately 3 thousand people participated in this activity where the red stain of the SolRojista flags stood out strongly.

At 11:00hrs the march of tired feet began, the contingents were ordered as follows: CODESA, 2. COCISS, 3. CODEPO, 4. UCIO-EZ, 5. OIDHO, 6. FIZ, 7. APIIDTT, 8. CODEDI, 9. MAIZ, 10. CP-Sol Rojo, 11. CODECI and 12. UNTA, the mobilization advanced without major incidents towards the central square where it arrived at approximately 15:00hrs to begin the rally.

The speakers from the different organizations took a stand in defense of the land, in opposition to the megaprojects of imperialism that represent plundering, forced internal displacement, repression and death for the masses in the countryside. The central slogans have been “No matter who governs, the rights of the people are defended” and “This is spring, agrarian struggle and workers’ struggle”, both in response to the slogans of the new state government.

At the end of the rally, the formal installation of the encampment was declared and immediately tents, tents, rubber roofs and some modules of the different contingents began to be set up.

In the evening a political-cultural event brought us the participation of the dance group of the Municipal Community Agency of Santa Rosa Panzacola, the wind band of San Miguel Panixtlahuaca and the Zapotec rap of comrade Pepe from San Agustín Loxicha. In addition, the youth of the Movimiento Estudiantil Popular (MEP-Mx) and Brigadas Juveniles del Pueblo (BJP) read the communiqué of support for the International Week for the Return of the Remains of the Martyrs of Palestine, which has been called by the comrades of SAMIDOUN; the Mexican youth have distributed leaflets and pasted posters along the march with this demand.

The general consensus of the FORO has been to prepare the conditions for a new stage in the mobilizations that will allow to continue qualifying the unity and the class struggle in defense of the land and the rights of the people.

As has been observed and confirmed once again in the streets, the SolRojista militancy walks in columns of combat and is ready to maintain the democratic-revolutionary struggle and to build the scenarios of unity that are necessary, at the regional, state, national and international levels to contribute to the only useful agenda for the class and the people: the New Democratic Revolution in Mexico at the service of the World Proletarian Revolution.

The Interoceanic Corridor plunders and kills peasants and indigenous people!

Stop the militarization of the country!

Navy out of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec!

Cancellation of arrest warrants against CIIT opponents!

Jail “Tacho Canasta” and Sergio “Canalla”!

Long live the F.O.R.O.!

Unity in Action!